Laughing the Night Away
by HK7747
Summary: Written for the School of Prompts challenge! At Bill and Fleur's wedding, Gabrielle asks Harry for a dance and gets a night full of laughs for her troubles, also questioning Harry's sanity along the way.


Harry glanced around the dance floor as the reception was in full swing. Joyous smiles painted the faces of all the patrons of the wedding celebration. Couples and acquaintances wove around in a synchronized manner to the current song, all deep in conversation with their dance partners.

Bill and Fleur, the newlyweds, were gazing into each other's eyes lovingly as they floated around the center of the throng of dancing couples. Arthur and Molly weren't too far away, nor were Mr. and Mrs. Delacour, the two sets of parents mimicking the newlyweds unknowingly, blissful smiles on their faces as the occasion stoked the warm coals of their own love.

Ginny had been grabbed by Charlie to join him in dancing, the pair wearing goofy grins as they danced in a somewhat farcical manner, with Charlie twirling and dipping Ginny far too often for normal dancing conventions. The Twins had invited Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet as their dates and were surprisingly taking things serious, as George led Angelina around as Fred did Alicia. Ron looked like he was doing his best impression of Narcissa Malfoy as a look of slight disgust painted his face as he found himself paired up with his great aunt Muriel, who Harry saw skillfully snatch yet another glass of champagne from a passing waiter with the hand that had been on Ron's lower back. Ron's mood was decidedly not helped by the fact that Hermione was dancing with none other than ('That Bulgarian Ponce' as Ron called him) Viktor Krum.

A feminine cough brought Harry out of his people-watching trance and he looked up into the face of Gabrielle Delacour.

"Would you like to dance, 'Arry?" She asked a little timidly.

Harry nodded and grabbed her hand to lead her out in amongst the couples, ending up in the orbit of Bill and Fleur.

Not long after they began to dance, Gabrielle spoke up.

"No offence, but ze glamour you are wearing makes you look ridiculous," she stated, biting her lip to control her laughter as she surveyed her dance partner.

Harry pouted.

"Here I thought this was an improvement!" He protested jokingly. "I was even thinking of making the change permanent!"

Gabrielle snorted and leaned her head onto Harry's chest as she shook it in disbelief.

"Please don't. You'd be doing ze witches of ze world a great disservice."

"I thought I did that every morning just waking up and getting out of bed," Harry frowned.

A loud peal of laughter escaped Gabrielle's mouth, causing many of the nearby dancers to look over in alarm.

"I was starting to think it'd be best for all parties if I just vanished from the wizarding world, took up residence in a cave and called myself Bob. That'd be a thrilling tale to tell the children of tomorrow: Bob the Reclusive Wizard and the Mysterious Stench in the Corner."

"Stop! Stop!" Gabrielle cried out in between laughs.

"It's a tough decision, giving up the luxury of clean underpants, but fret not, the public shall get the story it deserves!" Harry proclaimed in his best Sir Cadogan voice.

At this point, Gabrielle had stopped dancing and was clutching at her ribs with laughter. Harry took this as his cue to lead her back to his table and away from the dancers they'd disturbed.

As Gabrielle calmed down from her laughing fit, she wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Careful now, 'Arry, I'm starting to find zis Bob ze Reclusive Wizard more interesting zan you!"

Harry harrumphed and crossed his arms petulantly.

"Never mind, I hate Bob now. To be fair, I never liked the name to start with. Now Mike... That's a name I think would really fit a reclusive wizard that lives in a cave, where his biggest problem isn't some noseless homocidal maniac with an aversion to sunlight, but rather the trying struggle of whether his friend Dennis the spider is actually dead or staying very still."

"The spider would keep Ron away, mind you," Gabrielle reasoned.

"Precisely why I plan on befriending Dennis. I mean, could you imagine Mike and Jim the Reclusive Wizards and the Nevrr-Ending Debate of 'Who Dealt It'? That's not the title for best-seller," Harry explained.

"You're crazy, 'Carry Potter," Gabrielle replied with a roll of her eyes, grinning widely.

"Only on 2nd Tuesdays of the month and odd day Sundays."

"It's Friday."

"Oh."


End file.
